Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Trials of the easily distracted

Today's tea of the day is Chocolate-vanilla, from the delightful Eumun-tea at the Eumundi markets. It is the cutest tea stall I have been to. (I'm not sponsored by any particular tea store, but am open to offers. . . ;) )

One fascinating thing that I have noticed about myself at medical school is how one week I can loathe a subject during a tutorial, and the next week the tutorial can inspire me to go on and read a lot about the subject and (briefly) consider a change in career plans. The difference? A good tutor or lecturer.

I often wonder about the level of influence on career choice that results directly from how well the junior doctor or medical student gets along with the consultants/senior doctors that they are working with in an area. From what I hear, it is substantial.

If I am so easily swayed by having a good lecture, imagine how keen I will be if I have a good rotation in a particular area. :)

Thankfully, no matter what area of medicine you work in, you tend to interact with the other areas, so you can maintain a secondary interest without having to work in that area, too. For instance, I am sure that psychiatrists have to be aware of certain types of pathology, radiology and other specialties, at least enough to have a good idea about them if they need to refer to another specialist. GPs have to know a little about everything. As cynical as people are about this concept, in a good doctor it should probably be true.

I can still be a psychiatrist with a side interest in forensic pathology, right? ;)